Control device having improved adjustment indicating means and parts therefor or the like

ABSTRACT

A control device having an adjustable device and a rotatable control knob for adjusting the adjustable device as the knob is rotated. An indicating pointer is operatively associated with the rotatable knob for continuously indicating the adjustment being made to the adjustable device as the rotatable knob is rotated more than 360 degrees, the indicating pointer serially cooperating with a plurality of concentrically disposed scales located on the rotatable control knob.

United States Patent 1191 Caldwell v CONTROL DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED ADJUSTMENT INDICATING MEANS AND PARTS THEREFOR OR THE LIKE [75] Inventor: Edward N. CaldwelLKnoxville,

Tenn. i

[73] Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company, Richmond, Va.

22 Filed: July 25,1973;

21 Appl. No.: 382,492

[52] US. Cl 116/124 R, 116/115, 116/133, 116/129 C, 235/78- 51 Int. Cl. G09f 9/00 58 Field of Search..... 116/133, 129 c, 115, 115.5, 1 16/124;'2 35/78 f References Cited UNITED STATES. PATENTS 2,825,505 3/1958 Hall 235/78 1451 Dec. 24, 1974 2,888,653 5/1959 Jaffe 116/129 C X 3,257,606 6/1966 Grant 116/129 C X Primary Examiner-Louis J. Capozi I Attorney, Agent, or Firm- Candor, Candor & Tassone 57 ABSTRACT 15 Claims, 6DirawingFigures CONTROL DEVICE HAVING IMPROVED ADJUSTMENT INDICATING MEANS AND PARTS THEREFOR This invention relates to improved indicating means for an adjustable device of a control device or the like as well as to an improved control knob forsuch a control device or the like.

It iswell known that many Control devices each have a rotatable control knob for adjusting an adjustable device of the control device, such "as the force of a range spring or the like, and that the control knob can be rotated more than 360 degrees during the adjustment of vide indicating means for readily indicating, in effect,

vides a controldevice having an adjustable means and a rotatable member for adjusting the adjustable means as .the rotatable member is rotated. An indicating means of this invention is operativelyassociated with the rotatable member for indicating the adjustment being made to theadjustable means as the rotatable member is being rotated more than 360 degrees in one rotational direction thereof. Such indicating means can comprise a plurality of generally circular scales concentrically disposed on the rotatable member anda pointer means carried by the control device and operatively interconnected to the'rotatable member to serially cooperate with the scales by being adapted to move from an indicating condition relativeto one concentric scale to an indicating condition relative to another scale as the rotatable member completes a 360 degree revolution thereof in one rotational direction thereof.

Accordingly, itis an object of thisinvention to provide" a control device having the improved adjustment indicating means of this invention, the indicating means of this invention having one or more of the novel features set forth above or herein after shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved control knob having one or more of the novel features set forth above or herein after shown or described. g Y

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description, which proceeds the reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of an improved control device of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG.-3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the indicating pointer While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adapted for providing an indicating means for a pneumatically operated control device, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof with other types of control devices as desired. 7

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, an improved control dc .vice of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a housing means .11 provided with conduit means'1 2 for-fluidly intercon-- necting the control device 10 in a pneumatic control system in a manner well known in the art, the housing means 11 being provided with suitable means 13 for securing the housing means'll in a desired position in a conventional manner.

The'control device 10 includes an adjustable'range spring 14 that comprises a compression spring having one end 15 thereof bearing against a springretainer 16, positioned relative to the housing means 11 by a rotatable control knob 17. having a threaded, adjustable abutment means 18 thereof bearing against the central portion 19 of the spring retainer 16, the control knob 17 being intemallyl threaded at- 20 and being threadedly disposedon external threadingZl of atubular extension 22 of the housing means 11 whereby rotational movement of the control knob 17 relative to the housing means 11 causes the control knob to rise or fall on the tubular extension 22 relativeto the housing means 11 and thereby decrease or increase 'the compressive force of the compression spring 14 as the spring retainer 16 is likewise permitted to rise or fall in unison with the rise .or fall of therotatable control knob 17.

In this manner, it can be seen that the compression spring 14'comprises an adjustable device or means of the control device ll that has itsforce adjusted by the rotational movement of the control knob l7, the lower end of the spring 14 acting on and thereby controlling any suitable means in the housing means 11, such as a valve member or the like, as is. conventional in the art whereby details of the output effect 'of the spring 14 need not be described to understand the features of this invention. v

As previously stated, one of the features of this invention is to provide means for fully indicating the adjusted condition of the adjusting means 14 even though the control knob 17 is rotatable in one direction more than 360 degrees.

Such improved indicating means of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 23 in FIGS. 1 and 2 and comprises a pair of concentrically disposed circular scales 24 and 25 disposed on an outwardly directed annular flange 26 of the control knob 17 and a pointer means 27 carried both by the control knob 17 and the housing means 11 in a manner hereinafter described.

The pointer means 27 is best illustrated in FIG. 4 and comprises a Ushaped member 28 having a top arm 29 I the control device 11 to operate at PSI. However,

if the indicator pointer member 28 was moved radially outwardly from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 so that the 10 of the scale 24 was exposed at the part 32 of the pointer means 27, the operator would be visually informed that the control knob 17 of the control device 10 was set for 10 PSI, as will be apparent hereinafter.

The under surface 34 of the flange 26 of thecontrol knob 17 is provided with two generally. circular grooves 35 and 36 concentrically disposed about the axis of rotation, of the control knob 17and being respectively in terconnected together by, a sloping groove 37, the outer circular groove 36 being interconnected to the exterior of the flange 26 by a sloping groove 38 to permit threading of the pointer means 27 onto the control knob 17 in amanner hereinafter described.

The arm 30 of the indicating pointer means 27 has an outwardly directed cylindrical abutment 39 adapted to ride in the groove means 35, 36 and 37 of the control knob 17 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the abutment 39 being threaded onto the flange 26 by'first entering the sloping groove 38 at the exterior of the flange 26 so that the upper arm 29'of the indicator member 28 can be disposed over the top surface 40 of the flange 26 which carries the scale means 24, 25. Thus, by holding the indicator member '28 stationary and rotating the controlknob 17, the abutment 39of the indicator member 28 can ride down the sloping groove 38' into the circular groove 36 and when the the extension 22.

control device 11. Of course, the indicator member 28 must be properly positioned relative to the scales 24 and'25 as the control knob 17 is being initially threaded on the tubular extension 22 so that the indicator member 28-will end up properly indicating the setting of the spring 14 after the knob 17 has been fully threaded'on When it is desired to adjust the adjustable device 14 of the control device 11, the operator merely rotates the control knob 17 relativeto the housing means 11 in the desired direction and during such rotational movement of the control knob 17 the indicator mem ber 28 will have the portion 32 of the arm 29 continuously indicating the present setting of the; control knob 17 by either having the portion 32 thereof disposed on the inner scale 25 or on the outer scale 24 thereof depending upon which drive groove 35or 36 of the knob 17 is acting onthe driven member 39 of the indicator member 28 at the particular time that'such rotational movement of the control knob 17 is terminated, I

In this manner, the indi'cator'member 28 will move radially outwardly from the positionillustrated in FIG. 1 relative to the control knob 17 when the abutment 39 thereof reaches the sloping groove 37 and the rotational movement of the control knob 17 is in such a direction to cause the drive member 39 to reach the outer groove 36thereof so that the portion 32 of the control knob 17 has been rotated approximately 360 degrees in that'same' direction, the abutment 39 will reach thesloping groove 37and be guided by the sloping groove 37 into the innercircular groove 35 until the abutment 3'9 reaches the end 41 of the groove 35 to be stopped thereby as illustrated in FIG. 3. Such position of the abutment 39 at the end 41 of the groove 35 could be 'a' limit to the'position of the control knob .17 so that a setting ofrnore than 20 PSI for the spring 14 as indicated in FIG. 1 could not'take place.

Once the indicator member 28 has been assembled or threaded on the flange 26 of the control knob in the above manner, the control knob 17 can be assembled onto the threaded tubular extension 22 of the housing 11 by threading the same thereon, the indicator member 28 being so positioned relative to the control knob l7 and to'the housing means 11 that the same is disposed in a slot means 42 thereof that is defined between two guide abutments 43 and 44 of the housing means 11 which will subsequently pennit not only radial movement of the guide member 28 relative to the control knob 17, but also axial up and down movement of the indicator member 28 relative to the housing means 11 as the control knob 17 rises and falls on the tubular extension 22 through the threaded relationship therewithwhile preventing rotational movement of the indicator movement 28 during rotational movement .of the control knob 17.

Thus, itcan be seen that it is a relatively simple matterto assemble the indicator member 28 to the control knob 17 and then to assemble the control 17 to the 'ann29 of the indicating'member 28 will be operating on the outer scale 24. Conversely, the indicating member 28 will move radially inwardly as the drive member 39 moves down the sloping groove 37 into the inner circular groove 35 when the control knob 17 is rotated in the opposite direction so as to operate on the inner scale 25 of the control knob 17.

For example, with the control knob 17 set where the part32 of the arm 29 of the indicator member 28 indicates 3 PSI, the abutment 39 is inthe groove 36 adjacent the sloping groove 38. Rotation of knob 17 from this position in clockwise direction in FIG. 1 will cause the scale 24 to progressively pass under the part 32 of the member 28-until the knob. 17 has rotatedapproximately 360 degrees. At this 'time-the abutment39'enas 11 9' sl pi gsrq v an v d l ow he t theinner groove 35 wherebythe ll vPSI settingif the scale 25 now appears under the part 32 of the member 28. Further clockwise rotation of the knob 17 causes the scale 25 to progressively pass under the part 32 of the member 28. until another 360 degree turn of 'the knob 17 has taken place where the abutment 39 reaches the end 41 of the groove 35 and 20 PSI is under the part 32 of the member 28.

Obviously, counterclockwise rotation of the from its 20 PSI setting will cause the indicator member 28 to operate in a reverse manner to progressively indicate decreasing'pressure setting of the controldevice In this manner, the control knob 17 is adapted to be rotated through more than.360 degrees in either rota tional direction thereof and the indicating means 23 will cooperate therewith to continuously indicate the particular setting of the control knob 17 even though the control knob 17 is a multi-tum control knob.

While the embodiment of the indicating means 23 in FIGS. l-4 pennits the indicator pointer member 28 to rise and fall with the control knob Has the same rises and falls on the threaded portion 22 of the control device 11, it is to be understood that the indicator memknob 17 ber could be held from'rising" and falling relative to the housing means 11 should the rotatable member or knob of the control device be one which does not rise and fall relative to'the housing means as the same is rotated.

For example, another embodiment of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral A in FIGS. 5 and 6 and parts thereof similar to the control device 10 previously described are indicated by like reference numerals followed by the reference letter A.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and6, the. indicator member 28A has outwardly directed bevelled ears 45 and 46 on the lower leg 30A thereof which are adapted to be respectively received in a complementary groove or recess-47 formed in the housing means 11A so as to permit radial movement of the indicator member 28A relative to the housing means 11A and control knob 17A while preventing not only rotational .movement of the indicator member 28A relative to the housing means 11A during rotational movement of the control knob 17A, but also to prevent axial movement of the indicator member 28A relative .to the housing means 11A sincethe control knob 17A does not rise'and fall relative to the housing means 11A even though the rotational movement thereof causes an adjustment of the adjustable device of the control device 10A in a manner well known in the art.

Therefore, it can be seen that the indicating means 23 or 23A of this invention can be utilized witha rising and falling rotatable control knob of the control device or with a control knob that does not rise and-fall relative to the control device as the same is 'rotated as the case maybe, both indicating members 28 and 28A still functioning in the same manner relative to the scales on the rotatable'member and being driven by the groove means of such rotatable member in the same manner andfor .the same purpose as previously described.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention not only provides an improved indicating means for a control device or the like, but also this invention provides an improved control 'knob for such a control device or the While the forms ofthe' invention now preferred have been illustrated and described asrequi'red by the Patent Statute, it is to be understood that other forms can be utilized and still come within the scope of the appended claims. .What is claimed is:

1. In a control device having an adjustable means and a rotatable member for adjusting said means as said member rotates, the improvement.comprisingindicating means operatively associated with said rotatable member for indicating the adjustment being made to '3. A control device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said part of said pointer means is adapted to move from .one concentric scale to another thereof as said rotatable-member completes a 360 revolution thereof in one rotational direction as said drive means causes said pointer means to move from one concentric scaleto another thereof as said rotatable member completes a 360 revolution thereof in one rotational direction.

4. A control device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said drive means of said other side of said rotatable member comprises a plurality of generally circular grooves formed concentrically therein with each pair of adjacent concentric grooves being interconnected together by a sloping groove, said driven means of said pointer means comprising an abutment disposed in one of saidgrooves to be movable throughout and thereby be guided by said grooves as said rotatable member is rotated.

5. A control device as set forth inclaim 4 wherein said control'device haslmea'ns cooperable with said pointer means to prevent rotational movement-thereof relative to said rotatable member while permitting radial movement of said pointer means relative to said rotatable member as said abutment thereof is being driven by a said sloping groove of said rotatable member.

6. A control device assetforth in claim 5 wherein said means of said control device that is cooperable with said pointermeans has means for permitting said pointer means to move axially relative to said control device as said rotatable member moves axially relative to said control device during rotation relative thereto.

saidadjustable means as saidr'otatablemember is rota'ted more than 360, said rotatable member having opposed sides, said indicating means comprising scalemeans carried on one of said sides of said rotatable member and a pointer means carried by said control device and having a part disposed over said one side of f said rotatable member and cooperable with said scale means, said rotatable member having drive means on the other of said sides thereoflsaid pointer means having driven means disposed over said other side of said rotatable member and operatively interconnected to said drive means to be driven thereby.

member.

8. Acontrol device as set. forth in claim wherein saidpart of said pointer means is adapted to move from one scale to ,anotherthereof as saidrotatable member completes a 360 revolution thereof in one rotational direction as said drive means causes said part of said pointer means to move from one scale to another scale thereof as said rotatable member completes a 360 revolution thereof in one rotational direction.

9. A control device as set forth "in claim 8 wherein said drive means of said other side of said rotatable member comprises a plurality of generally circular grooves formed concentrically therein with each pair of adjacent concentric, grooves beinginterconnected together by a slopinggroove', saiddriven means of said pointer means comprising an abutment disposed in one of said grooves to be movable throughout and thereby be guided by said grooves as said rotatable member is rotated. t

10. A control device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said control device has means cooperable with said pointer means to prevent rotational movement thereof relative to said rotatable member while permitting ra- 11; A control device as set forth in claim wherein said means of said control device that is cooperable with said pointer means has means for permitting said pointer means to move axially relative to said control device as said rotatable member moves axially relative to said control device during rotation relative thereto.

12. A rotatable control knob for adjusting an adjustable means of a control device, said control knob having indicating means operatively associated therewith for indicating the adjustment being made to said adjustwith said scale means, said rotatable knob having drive means on the other of said sides thereof, said pointer means having driven'means disposed over said other side of said rotatable knob operatively interconnected to said drive means to be driven thereby.

13. A rotatable control knob as set forth in claim 12 wherein said scale means comprises a plurality of generally circular scales concentrically disposed on said one side of said rotatable knob.

14. A rotatable control knob as set forth in claim 13 wherein said part of said pointer means is adapted to move from one concentric scale to another thereof as said rotatable knob completes a 360 revolution thereof in one rotational direction as said drive means causes said pointer means to move from one concentric scale to another thereof as said rotatable knob completes a 360 revolution thereof in one rotational direction.

15. A rotatable control knob as set forth in claim 14 wherein said drive means of said other side of said rotatable knob comprises a plurality'of generally circular grooves formed concentrically therein with each pair of adjacent concentric grooves being interconnected together by a sloping groove, saiddriven means of said pointer means comprising an abutment disposed in one of such grooves to be movable throughout and thereby be guided by said grooves as said rotatable member is 

1. In a control device having an adjustable means and a rotatable member for adjusting said means as said member rotates, the improvement comprising indicating means operatively associated with said rotatable member for indicating the adjustment being made to said adjustable means as said rotatable member is rotated more than 360*, said rotatable member having opposed sides, said indicating means comprising scale means carried on one of said sides of said rotatable member and a pointer means carried by said control device and having a part disposed over said one side of said rotatable member and cooperable with said scale means, said rotatable member having drive means on the other of said sides thereof, said pointer means having driven means disposed over said other side of said rotatable member and operatively interconnected to said drive means to be driven thereby.
 2. A control device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said scale means comprises a plurality of generally circular scales concentrically disposed on said one side of said rotatable member.
 3. A control device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said part of said pointer means is adapted to move from one concentric scale to another thereof as said rotatable member completes a 360* revolution thereof in one rotational direction as said drive means causes said pointer means to move from one concentric scale to another thereof as said rotatable member completes a 360* revolution thereof in one rotational direction.
 4. A control device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said drive means of said other side of said rotatable member comprises a plurality of generally circular grooves formed concentrically therein with each pair of adjacent concentric grooves being interconnected together by a sloping groove, said driven means of said pointer means comprising an abutment disposed in one of said grooves to be movable throughout and thereby be guided by said grooves as said rotatable member is rotated.
 5. A control device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said control device has means cooperable with said pointer means to prevent rotational movement thereof relative to said rotatable member while permitting radial movement of said pointer means relative to said rotatable member as said abutment thereof is being driven by a said sloping groove of said rotatable member.
 6. A control device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said means of said control device that is cooperable with said pointer means has means for permitting said pointer means to move axially relative to said control device as said rotatable member moves axially relative to said control device during rotation relative thereto.
 7. A control device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said scale means comprises a plurality of adjacent scales disposed on said one side of said of said rotatable member.
 8. A control device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said part of said pointer means is adapted to move from one scale to another thereof as said rotatable member completes a 360* revolution thereof in one rotatioNal direction as said drive means causes said part of said pointer means to move from one scale to another scale thereof as said rotatable member completes a 360* revolution thereof in one rotational direction.
 9. A control device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said drive means of said other side of said rotatable member comprises a plurality of generally circular grooves formed concentrically therein with each pair of adjacent concentric grooves being interconnected together by a sloping groove, said driven means of said pointer means comprising an abutment disposed in one of said grooves to be movable throughout and thereby be guided by said grooves as said rotatable member is rotated.
 10. A control device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said control device has means cooperable with said pointer means to prevent rotational movement thereof relative to said rotatable member while permitting radial movement of said pointer means relative to said rotatable member as said abutment thereof is being driven by a said sloping groove of said rotatable member.
 11. A control device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means of said control device that is cooperable with said pointer means has means for permitting said pointer means to move axially relative to said control device as said rotatable member moves axially relative to said control device during rotation relative thereto.
 12. A rotatable control knob for adjusting an adjustable means of a control device, said control knob having indicating means operatively associated therewith for indicating the adjustment being made to said adjustable means as said rotatable knob is rotated more than 360*, said control knob having opposed sides, said indicating means comprising scale means carried on one of said sides of said rotatable knob and a pointer means carried by said control knob and having a part disposed over said on side of said rotatable knob and cooperable with said scale means, said rotatable knob having drive means on the other of said sides thereof, said pointer means having driven means disposed over said other side of said rotatable knob operatively interconnected to said drive means to be driven thereby.
 13. A rotatable control knob as set forth in claim 12 wherein said scale means comprises a plurality of generally circular scales concentrically disposed on said one side of said rotatable knob.
 14. A rotatable control knob as set forth in claim 13 wherein said part of said pointer means is adapted to move from one concentric scale to another thereof as said rotatable knob completes a 360* revolution thereof in one rotational direction as said drive means causes said pointer means to move from one concentric scale to another thereof as said rotatable knob completes a 360* revolution thereof in one rotational direction.
 15. A rotatable control knob as set forth in claim 14 wherein said drive means of said other side of said rotatable knob comprises a plurality of generally circular grooves formed concentrically therein with each pair of adjacent concentric grooves being interconnected together by a sloping groove, said driven means of said pointer means comprising an abutment disposed in one of such grooves to be movable throughout and thereby be guided by said grooves as said rotatable member is rotated. 